Careful Counting + Math Bags

Last year, I started a weekly routine called Math Bags, and loved the regular opportunity it gave us to apply math to every day objects. One of the most important math skills I try to encourage throughout the year is one-to-one correspondence, or careful counting: associating only one number name per object while counting. It seems like such a basic skill, but it is essential for both math and reading, and can be very tricky for young children. So that is the first skill we are practicing with our math bags right now.

Everyone gets a chance to share what they brought, and then counts it as they add it to the collection tray. This is a great chance for me to assess their ability to count objects and use one-to-one correspondence.

Next week we are going to start sorting through our collection, which is another mathematical skill that will give us practice with counting, comparing, and classifying.

As part of this routine, I also like to include a math story if I can. Bear Counts is one of my favorites to use at the beginning of the year.

 And of course, math bag time isn't the only time we practice careful counting or other math skills. Mathematical objectives are always integrated into our learning topics, and often we have games or activities set out that are focused solely on a certain skill.

One thing I love about the math bag routine is that it helps us to realize that math is everywhere! It's in objects that we find at home or outside or at school...I try to take any opportunity that I see to draw attention to the math in our everyday objects and experiences.